Passive massage implement.



W. C. J. GUILFORD. PASSIVE MASSAGE IMPLEMENT. APPLICATION FILED M'AY as, me. l fifi wlo Patented Jam. 15, 1918.

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W. (1.1. GUlLFORD.

PASSIVE MASSAGE IMPLEMENT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18. 1916.

Paztented Jan. 15, 1918.

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WILLIAM c. :r. enrLroien, or nannrson, MAINE.

PASSIVE MASSAGE IMPLEMENT.

Application filed May 18, 1916. SerialNo, 98,351.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. GUIL- FORD, citizen of the United States, residing at Harrison, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine,ha.ve invented certain new and useful Improvements in PassiveMassage Implements, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to massage imple ments and has for its primary object provision of a tool capable of being applied to practically any part of the body and to be manually shifted over the surface of the body by subjecting the parts being traversed passive manipulating and exerclsing action. I

Broadly, the invention embraces a pair of massage elements supported from a handle part, the massage elements being adapted to engage the'part of the body to be treated at separated points and to be alternately actuated to correspondingly affect the part under treatment. Preferably, the massage elements are of a pneumatic character.

More specifically the invention contemplates the mounting of the massage elements in free pivotal association with suitable supporting arms, the latter being desirable, though not necessarily connected to the above mentioned handle part so as to swing to and to be held in adjusted positions to vary the distance of the massage elements apart-in keeping with the part of the body or surface thereof to be treated.

Details in the construction and arrange ment of parts constituting one embodiment of the present invention will be better understood from the specific description hereinafter contained when read in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof and wherein the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus complete;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the massage device;

Fig. 3 is a sideview; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through one of the massage elements and its support; Fig. 5 is a sectional view through the handle;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of one of the massage elements showing the handle and associatedparts separated; and

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. i5, 191%..

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevation. Referring more specifically to the drawings wherein like reference characters deslgnate the same parts in theseveral views, A and B represent in a general way the expansible massage elements forming part of my improved tool, from which flexible rubber hose connections C lead to an actuator designed to expand and contract said expansible elements, the particular type of such actuator, so long as the same can, when desired, relatively alternate the expansion and contraction of the massage elements not being essential to a full presentation of the present invention, suitable types of actuators however being illustrated in detail in my two companion cases executed of even date herewith, Serial No. 98,350 and Serial No.

93,352, dealing on the one hand with a manually driven actuator and on the other hand. with a motor driven actuator. Here, I have shown in a generalway the latter style or motor driven actuator the same including a base D on which an air storage tank E is mounted having valve controlled pipe connections F leading to cylinders Gr suitably supported on the base D, the cylinders containing pistons as shown in dotted lines at H alternately reciprocated through oppositely arranged cranks J connected by piston rods with the pistons, and driven through suitable gearing represented by dot ted lines at L from a motor M receiving its energy from a convenient source of power.

By filling the cylinders and pipe connections leading to the expansible elements with air from the tank E, and closing the valves inthe pipe connections running from y tachable retaining frames P and the special construction of which need not be here pointed out inasmuch as the same consti' tutes the subject matter of my pending application directed to the abdominal massaging devices Serial No. 98353; and the same is true of the coupling members Q connecting the air conductor or pipes C through the base members N and withthe space be tween the base members and the expanding rubbber sheet or diaphragm.

The base members N are transversely curved in'the present instance, instead of longitudinally curved as in my said com panion case, it being here the intention to manually shift the massage device along the limbs or arms, or in fact other portions of the body, the curvature of the base members conforming in shape to the curved surfaces over which they are intended to ride.

It is desired that the massage elements A and B may have a freedom of movement, or capability of self adjustment to the member or part of the body to be treated and to this end the basemembers at the upper outside portions thereof are pivotally connected, through the medium of the screw eyes or the equivalent, as represented at R, to the offsetends s of a pairof arms S arranged at right angles to the longitudinal axes of the massage elements and at their outer ends connected to a handle T extending length wise of the massage elements and located in front of the same with abundant space therebetween to accommodate the hand of a the operator.

The arms S vat their outer'ends'are fiattene'd and formed into apertured ears U ,U sleeved upon the threaded stem t of the handle T, the ear U having, a perforation a to engagea pin a rigid with the handle to hold one of the arms fixed against inde-l pendent movement with reference to the. handleso that it will turn with the handle to facilitate the adjusting ofv thev arms with reference to each other, the other perforated ear U ofthe arms beingloosely related to the handle and interposed between the perforated ear U and a washer V screwed to a part of said ear U and spaced therefrom as shown, the two arms S being fastened in adjusted relation by a thumb nut or wheel \V adapted by turning-the same home to frictionally bind the two cars together between the washer and. the shouldered portion ad joining the threaded stem of the s handle thereof. To properlyseparatethe arms S and massageelementshcarried thereby, it is simply necessary to loosen the binding nut or WheelWV and to move one of the arms toward and from the other either by holding thefree arm and moving, the other arm with the handle, or by holding the handle and-a arm fixed thereto stationary,'and moving the fre arm to the position desired, thereafter bindmg the locking nut or wheelin place as previou sly observed.

While I have herein disclosed a specific,

embodiment of the invention, it will be understood by persons skilled in the art that saidinvention is capable of embodiment in adjustable toward and from each other in-adirectionapproximately around the axis of the handle. I

2. A massage device of the character described, comprising a handle for shifting the device fromplace to place onthe body and a pairofrelatively fiat massage elements carried by the handle, said elements being mounted for a freedom of movement to. be self adjustable in operation angularly with 'respect to the handle, substantially as described, in combination with means other than the handle for manipulating themassage elements- A massage device of the charactervdescribed, comprising a handlefor shifting the device from place to place on the body. and a pair of relativelyflat massage elements carried by the handle, said elements being mounted for a freedom of movement to be self adjustable in operation angular-1y with respect to. the handle, and means for fixedly adjusting the massage element supports, with respect to the handle, in combination with means other than. theliandledor manip-. ulating themassage elements.

QA massage vdevice of the character,de-

scribed. comprising a handle for Shifting the device from place to placeon the body, an arm projecting from'the handle, and a rel atively flat massage element pivoted-to said armadapted to changev its: position angularly with respect to the handle, in combination with means other than the handle for manipulating themassage element.

5. A massage, devicev oftheicharacter de:

scribed, comprising a handle for shiftingithe device from place to place on the body, an arm projecting from the handle, a relatively flat massage element: pivoted to said arm adapted to change its position .angularly with respect to the handle, and means for adjusting the position of the arm,on. -the handle, in combination; with means other than the. handle .for manipulating the massage element. r s V 6. A massage device of the character described,- comprising a handle, havingpja threaded stem, massage elements, armsconnecting the massage. elements, to the handle,

one of said arms being fast with the handle and the other movable with reference thereto, and means for securing the arms in relative adjusted; position with the handle.-

7. A massage device of the character de-- scribed, comprising a pair of massage,-ele= Y ments, a handle therefor, and means-for con necting the a massage elements. to the handle comprising arms therebetween, one arm-:be-

ing fast with the handle and the other being pivoted for adjustment on the handle, and means for binding the arms together to secure them in relatively adjusted position.

8. A massage device of the character de scribed, comprising a pair of massage elements, a handle therefor and means for connecting the massage elements to the handle comprising arms therebetween, one arm being fast with the handle and the other being pivoted for adjustment on the handle, and means for binding the arms together to secure them in relatively adjusted position, said means including a binding nut having threaded engagement with the handle adapted to impinge upon a washer carried by the fixed arm and spaced therefrom for the reception of the other arm.

9. A massage device for the character described, comprising a pair of massage elements, a handle, and arms connecting the massage elements to the handle, said arms having perforated portions adapted to engage over a part of the handle, one of said perforated portions having a washer secured thereto and spaced therefrom for the reception of the other perforated portion, and means for binding the perforated portions together to secure the arms in approximate spaced relation.

10. A massage device of the character described, comprising a handle, a pair of expansible massage elements carried by said handle and adapted to engage the part to be treated from opposite positions, and means for alternately expanding and contracting said massage elements, substantially as and for the purpose described.

11. A massage device of the character described, comprising a handle, a pair of expansible massage elements carried by said handle and adapted to engage the part to be treated from opposite positions, and means for alternately expanding and contracting said massage elements, the massage elements having a movable connection with the handle to enable automatic adjustment of said elements.

12. A massage device of the character described, comprising a pair of expansible massage elements adapted to engage the part to be treated from opposite positions, means for supplying pulsating pressure to the expansible massage elements, and means for applying the massage device including a handle, arms for connecting the handle to the massage elements, free pivotal connections between the outer ends of the handles of the arms and the massage elements and an adjustably fixed connection between the inner ends of the arms and the handle.

13. A massage device of the character described, comprising a pair of opposing massage elements, a handle therefor, and means for fixedly adjusting said elements apart and for permitting independent adjustment of said elements with reference to the handle.

14. A massage device of the character described, comprising a pair of massage elements movably related to each other and curved on their inner faces for the purpose of conforming to and receiving the part to be treated, expansible parts overlying the said curved surfaces, and means for commu nicating air pressure to said expansible parts to effect relatively alternating expansion and contraction thereof, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM C. J. GUILFOR-D.

Witnesses: 1

JOHN W. SHIELDS, CHARLES A. LEAVITT.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

